Stamford, The City that Works, got a boost recently toward its plans to be the city that works in ways that are sustainable and sturdy.
The national Funders”™ Network for Smart Growth and Livable Communities and the New Haven-based Emily Hall Tremaine Foundation contributed $75,000 each ”” $150,000 ”” toward Stamford”™s push to reduce water and energy use and to lower carbon emissions across a growing member base in its Stamford 2030 District, which dates to October.
The award was one of eight issued nationally. The 2030 program also focuses on resiliency in the face of weather disasters, which have lost their abstractness regionally post-Superstorm Sandy.
Corporate representatives on hand included 2030 District advocates Henry A. Ashforth III, executive vice president of Stamford-based The Ashforth Co., and Andrea Pinabell, vice president for global sustainability and global citizenship for Stamford-based Starwood Hotels & Resorts.
- From left, Henry A. Ashforth III, The Ashforth Co.; Rey Giallongo, First County Bank; Chris Bruhl, The Business Council of Fairfield County; Andrea Pinabell, Starwood Hotels & Resorts; Megan Saunders, Stamford 2030 District; Stamford Mayor David Martin; Ann Fowler Wallace, Funders”™ Network; Michelle Knapik, Tremaine Foundation; Thomas Madden, city of Stamford; and Donald Strait, Connecticut Fund for the Environment. Photo by Bill Fallon
“Sustainability and resiliency are global issues,” said Ashforth, whose company is part of 2030”™s “property owners and managers” cohort and who personally heads the city”™s nearly 7-year-old Energy Improvement District. “We”™re going to solve them locally. That”™s what this partnership is all about.”
Stamford Mayor David Martin hosted the event at the city”™s Government Center on Washington Boulevard but quickly turned the meeting over to Megan Saunders, executive director of the Stamford 2030 District.
Saunders said the $150,000 would give her program the ability to build on early progress. She noted the 2030 effort has seen its rolls swell by 40 percent in its eight-month life. “With this award, we”™ll expand the outreach,” she said.
Besides The Ashforth Co., owners and managers in the 2030 effort include Aquarion Water Co.; CBRE; Charter Oak Communities; the city of Stamford; Diamond Properties; the Ferguson Library System; First County Bank; Jonathan Rose Cos.; Jones Lang LaSalle; New Neighborhoods Inc.; Reckson, a Division of SL Green Realty Corp.; RFR; and the Unitarian Universalist congregation.
“With Tom”™s help, we”™re ready to embark on this,” Ashforth said, citing Stamford Director of Economic Development Thomas Madden, also in attendance. “We need to solve the energy issues for our buildings and our schools. We need to bring on the sustainability and the resiliency. These issues can be solved locally, and they will be solved locally.”
Starwood is a 2030 “professional partner,” along with Deloitte, Eversource, Fairfield University, McKenney Mechanical, Progressive Solutions Inc., Steven Winter Associates Inc. and Vidaris Inc.
The 2030 program”™s “community partners” include the Connecticut Chapter of the American Institute of Architects, Bartlett Arboretum & Gardens, Connecticut Fund for the Environment, Connecticut Green Bank, Downtown Stamford Special Services District, Institute for Sustainable Energy at Eastern Connecticut State University, Interfaith Council of Southwestern Connecticut, SoundWaters Inc., Sustainable America and The Business Council of Fairfield County, with Chris Bruhl, its CEO/president, in attendance.
Others in attendance included Tremaine Foundation President Michelle Knapik; Ann Fowler Wallace, Boston-based director of programs for the Florida-based Funders”™ Network; Donald Strait, president of the Connecticut Fund for the Environment in New Haven; and the fund”™s director of development, Karen Baar.
Rey Giallongo, chairman and CEO of First County Bank and also chairman of The Business Council of Fairfield County, praised Ashforth”™s efforts. “This is also about competitiveness,” Giallongo said. “Hank is doing a tremendous job. And Megan (Saunders) will help push this along.”
Wallace said involvement of The Business Council of Fairfield County and others was critical to awarding the money. “We took notice,” she said. “We”™re excited to help Stamford establish its ambitious goals in the commercial sector.”
The funding came through the Funders”™ Network Partners for Places program, with a total $520,850 going to the eight community winners. Stamford”™s grant was from the program”™s sixth round of funding. The program dates to May 2012, when it awarded its first grants totaling $250,000.
“This has really picked up momentum thanks to Megan (Saunders),” said Strait. “These grants allow us to capitalize on that momentum.”
“There is a new model emerging and Stamford is not keeping pace,” Martin said, thanking the assembled stakeholders. “The world is changing too fast. Now, if you fell asleep for four, five, six years, you”™d be a century behind.” And to the business community he said, “If you can help out ”” despite our knowledge ”” we need to go forward and we still need your help.”
NNI, a founding 2030 Stamford member & nonprofit housing developer, is committed to major reduction in energy usage. Thank you 2030 Stamford for pushing all of the participants to do better.